Has it really been ten years?
Ten years ago today, Mark McGuire hit his sixty-second home run. It was the event that got me interested in baseball again, after the strike and the canceled World Series and all the other bullshit from the early nineties. Curiously, I was watching the game at the time, and I saw Mac slowly rounding the bases, and I saw the whole game stop and the field become a media event in the middle of an ongoing game.
The Cardinals were hosting the Cubs that game, which was ironic, since Mac’s closest competitor was Slammin’ Sammy himself. I thought it was a great moment, when McGuire finally finished his tour of the bases; as he crossed home plate, Sammy Sosa was headed that way too. He met McGuire a bit past the plate and shook his hand, and then gave him a giant bear hug. That was the day that, for me and for many other people, baseball was reborn.
People nowadays want to look on it with cynicism, through a sort of steroid-coloured glass. I suppose that’s understandable. But for me, the spectre of steroids can’t ruin the moment. The only substance either of those men has ever been linked to that was banned by MLB at the time is cork, if you catch my meaning, and I don’t really see the need to dig up the past. It doesn’t matter to me.
What I’m saying is, hey, Jeff Passan? Keep the angst to yourself, please.
I’ve always thought that the argument “MLB didn’t have a policy against steroids back then!” is a bit disingenuous. MLB probably doesn’t have a specific policy about whether or not you’re allowed to kneecap an opposing pitching in the parking lot before the game, but I’m pretty sure it’s frowned upon. Anabolic Steroids have been illegal in the US since the 70s, I don’t see how using an illegal substance that is known to help you get bigger and stronger isn’t a good enough reason for people to be skeptical about the accomplishments of McGwire and Sosa, or to feel a little cheated about the whole thing. I mean, that’s no excuse to go writing long, angst-ridden columns about it, but hey, you can’t stop sports writers from writing angst-ridden columns these days.
And before anybody says something like “MCGWIRE AND/OR SOSA NEVER FAILED A DRUG TEST!” or “YOU CAN’T PROVE THEY WERE ON THE JUICE!” let me just say that men are routinely sent to prison with less evidence than what we have that McGwire and Sosa both were on performance enhancing substances that year. It reminds me of all the asshats who insisted that Reiser couldn’t POSSIBLY be convicted of murder because nobody could PROVE Nina was even dead! Whatever assholes, he led cops to her body, are you happy now?
Anyhow, I was watching that game too, and have fond memories of that moment. I think my favorite part besides Sosa coming in to congratulate him was when he went into the stands to visit with the Maris family. That was pretty sweet.
Comment by Dave | 12 September 2008
Amphetamines have been a Schedule II drug in the United States for a long goddamn time themselves, and it’s said that nearly all baseball players have used those at one time or another. So is all of baseball nothing but a "drug-fueled fraud?" I dunno. Maybe. But here’s my point: baseball is entertainment. We’re paying to be entertained. Back in 1998, the viewing public wanted to see a glorious long-ball chase and didn’t much care about steroids. So I don’t really see how it’s a fraud — we got what we wanted. And, no it’s not just that people didn’t know about steroid use in sports; one of the most commonly-asked questions Mark McGwire fielded that season was "are you juicing?"
Not that I’m saying I think steroid use is right, or that it was at the time. I’m just saying I don’t think it was a big damn deal. I think they’re in the same category as the spitball — things that are highly politicised and that a lot of people get really worked up about for no particularly good reason, but things the game will in fact be better without.
Comment by Darien | 13 September 2008